How technology is shaping and influencing the realms of education and society.

1. DIGITAL
DIVIDE

2. o The term digital divide was
popularized in 1990s
o It describes the technology
divide or gap between countries,
democratic groups and
economic areas.Its a
technical,social,economic issue
which covers the difference in
availability and use of modern
technology.
o The divide that people
experience can depend on
many aspects such as age,
status and location.

3. WHAT IS DIGITAL DIVIDE?
• Many people believe that
digital divide refers merely
to internet access , but it
can refer to access to
several forms of modern
technology ,including
telephones , televisions ,
personal computers (PCs)
and the internet

4. • All countries experience digital divide at one
level or another .At a national level , the digital
divide describes the difference between those
in modern technology , and those who have
the necessary skills to make good use of
technology
• At international level, the digital divide
describes the difference between developed
and developing countries.

5. GLOBAL DIGITAL DIVIDE
• Defined as:”great disparities in opportunity to access the internet and
the information and educational/business opportunities tied to this
access between developed and developing countries “.
• Unlike the traditional notion of the “digital divide” between social classes
, the “global digital divide” is essentially a geographical division.
• Technology has developed unevenly throughout the world , causing
some countries to fall behind others
• Those countries with limited access/development are at a disadvantage

6. INTERNET USERS IN 2015 AS A PERCENTAGE OF A
COUNTRY'S POPULATION

8. WORLDWIDE BROADBAND
SUBSCRIPTIONS

9. OBSTACLES

10. • Physical Access : Obtaining
access to computers, landlines,
networks in order to access the
internet.
• Financial Access : The cost of
infrastructure and equipment,
software, training and
maintenance.
• Cognitive Access : In order to
use computer technology,
information literacy is needed.
• Design Access : Accessible to
those with different physical and
learning disabilities and language
barriers.

12. • Institutional Access : having access at
other than individual homes and
workplaces(where access is highly limited),
libraries, schools, community centres, post
offices etc.
• Political Access : Democratic political
regimes like India, USA enable faster
growth of the internet, but countries like
Iran, China block or censor contents. Iran
has prohibited the use of high speed data to
prevent the influence of Western Culture.
North Korea only allows certain amount of
data to be accessible.

13. OVERCOMING THE DIGITAL DIVIDE:
WHAT NEEDS TO HAPPEN?
The digital divide, as a whole, remains an enormous and complicated issue -
heavily interwoven with the issues of race, education, and poverty. The
obstacle, however, is by no means insurmountable if broken down into specific
tasks that must be accomplished. Aside from the obvious financial barriers, the
following would help narrow the gap:
Universal Access
In the public sector, policy makers and community members must recognize
the importance of such resources and take measures to ensure access for all.
While increased competition among PC manufacturers and Internet Service
Providers has substantially reduced the costs associated with owning a
computer and maintaining a home connection, for many households the costs
remain prohibitive. Like basic phone service, the government should subsidize
Internet access for low-income households.
At the same time, the private sector must commit to providing equal service
and networks to rural and underserved communities so that all individuals can
participate.

14. More Community Access Centers, Continued Support of Those
Already Existing
Community access centers (CACs) are a critical resource for those
without access to computers and the Internet at school or work; such
programs should continue to receive funding in order to expand and
strengthen. According to data collected in 1998, minorities, individuals
earning lower incomes, individuals with lower educations, and the
unemployed - the exact groups affected most by the digital divide - are
the primary users of CACs. In fact, those using the CACs "are also using
the internet more often than other groups to find jobs or for educational
purposes" (NTIA Falling through the Net 99). Community access centers,
therefore, are clearly worthwhile investments.
Additional, Well-Trained Technical Staff
Computers and other technologies alone are not enough. Communities
and schools must train and preserve additional, and more qualified staff,
alongside new technologies to promote the best application of resources.
In addition to understanding the new technologies, the staff must be able
to teach others.

15. Change of Public Attitude Regarding Technology
At the same time, much of society needs to change its attitude concerning
technology. Rather than perceiving computers and the Internet as a
superfluous luxury, the public should view them as crucial necessities. The
public must come to realize the incredible power of new technologies and
embrace them as tools for their future and the future of their children.

16. CURRENT PROGRAMS AND
INITIATIVES IN INDIA AIMED AT
OVERCOMING THE DIGITAL
DIVIDE
• Here are some of the current programs and initiatives in India aimed at overcoming the digital divide:
• 1. BharatNet project: Launched in 2011, this project aims to connect 0.25 million panchayats through an optical fibre (100
MBPS) and connect India’s villages.
• 2. National Digital Literacy Mission and the Digital Saksharta Abhiyan: Launched in 2014, these initiatives aim to increase
digital literacy.
• 3. Digital India campaign: Launched in 2015, this campaign includes several schemes to connect the entire country.
• 4. Pradhan Mantri Gramin Digital Saksharta Abhiyan: This is another initiative introduced to increase digital literacy.
• 5. Broadband Infrastructure Fund: This fund is proposed to be established with a large corpus from private, multilateral and
government sources, including spectrum auction revenues, to invest in digital infrastructure.
• 6. Digital India Project: This project aims to increase digital literacy, expand broadband connectivity to rural villages, and
increase funding for existing programmes.
• These initiatives are crucial in addressing the digital divide in India, which is characterized by inequalities in access to the
internet and information and communication technologies (ICTs). However, there is a need to ramp up such efforts to ensure
that the benefits of digital transformation reach all sections of society.

17. CURRENT PROGRAMS IN OVERCOMING
THE DIGITAL DIVIDE IN TAMILNADU
• Here are some of the current programs and initiatives in Tamil Nadu aimed at overcoming the digital divide:
• 1. Tamil Nadu Covid Pulse Survey: This survey shows the state’s commitment to strengthening evidence-based policymaking and
continuing its welfare tradition including its efforts to provide uninterrupted education during the crisis.
• 2. Kalvi TV: This government initiative telecasts classes for school students and has been effective in addressing the digital divide
between rural and urban areas in the state, making its education system more inclusive.
• 3. Tamil Nadu Teachers Platform (TNTP): This platform is another initiative to bridge the digital divide.
• 4. TNSCERT YouTube channel: This channel provides educational content and resources.
• 5. Facebook—Workplace: This program is used for educational purposes.
• 6. Program for student mental wellbeing (with UNICEF): This program addresses the mental health needs of students.
• 7. Tamil Nadu Vagupparai Nokkin (Classroom Observation module): This module helps in the observation and assessment of
classroom activities.
• 8. NEET—Online Practice tests and Crash Course (MHRD 2020): This initiative provides online resources for students preparing for
the NEET examination.
• These initiatives are crucial in addressing the digital divide in Tamil Nadu, which is characterized by inequalities in access to the
internet and information and communication technologies (ICTs). However, there is a need to ramp up such efforts to ensure that the
benefits of digital transformation reach all sections of society.

18. CASE
STUDIES

19. BRIDGING THE DIGITAL DIVIDE IN KENYA
• The Kenyan education system received a shock when its government closed all
schools and colleges nationwide in response to the first positive test of COVID-19 on
15 March 2020.
• Simultaneously, they worked with the distributors to deliver OUP books nationwide at
an affordable price, ensuring that learners could still access the resources they needed
at home, without having to go out to purchase them in the midst of the pandemic.
• Recognizing that supporting teachers as they adapted to a new way of teaching, the
Kenyan team also embarked on an extensive programme of virtual professional
development for teachers on the new curriculum, topics of wellness, cybersecurity, and
using digital skills when teaching during the pandemic. The programme proved to be
extremely beneficial, enabling OUP to reach and support a staggering 86,000
teachers. Parents were also invited to join some Zoom calls to better support their
children in learning from home.

20. SUPPORTING DIGITAL LITERACY FOR
WOMEN IN INDIA
• Over the past 18 months, evidence has suggested that, globally, girls and women have
been among those most negatively impacted by the switch to digital learning, with less
access to technology and the internet compared to male learners.
• Without equal access to technology and the internet, girls and women remain at a
disadvantage, unable to develop the digital skills necessary to participate and succeed
in increasingly digital societies.
• In addition to this, OUP and Literacy India have collaborated to support several
education and skill development projects across centres in Delhi NCR and Kolkata
over the years. Last year, they supported Literacy India with setting up the Karigari
program in Kolkata, which provides skill-based certification courses to equip adult
learners with technology learning. OUP India also worked with Literacy India to set up
two digital learning centres during the pandemic, which helped teachers to stay
connected children while the schools were closed.

21. LANGUAGE IN AN INCREASINGLY DIGITAL
WORLD
• From search and social media platforms to apps, much of our digital experience relies
on language.
• Alongside this ongoing work, the COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the need for crucial
information to be available in various languages so that communities worldwide could
access the right information about the crisis.
• The Oxford Languages team worked established the COVID-19 Multilingual Project.
The aim of the project was to create a standard vocabulary—based on corpus data—
and subsequent translations around COVID-19, so that information could be shared
clearly, precisely, and as widely as possible.
• As efforts continue to tackle the digital divide on a global scale, it is vital that those
working in publishing and technology consider language when exploring how to make
resources as widely available as possible.

22. Jaswant S
Jayaharish M R
Mohammed Nishar
Siddharth K
Abhinandhan V
Varun Vasanthan
Yashwant Kanna M
THANK
YOU